Important Rules  for an Optimal Nutrition

Annie Sawyer, PhD

After reading so many books, numerous publications and internet articles on nutrition, I am completely sure that there are many people who are still completely confused with the answer on the question what 'optimal nutrition' is. We as human beings have completely different genetic and metabolic make up despite of our similarity in anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and biomechanics the answer can be oversimplified easily- what works for you is a good nutrition and what doesn’t it is not.

1/  Eating organic or whole fresh and unprocessed, row or home cooked food is the first rule in the above equation.

2/  Select fruits and vegetables with all the colors of the rainbow. Eating 3-4 fruits and 9-10 vegetables each day from a wide seasonal variety will do much to support your physical and psychical health.

3/  Select foods containing omega-3 fats- flax seeds, salmon, sardines, halibut, herring, mackerel at least twice weekly.

4/  Do not forget consuming 30-50 g fiber in your diet by augmenting them slowly and gradually.

5/  Balance your dishes by selecting protein, fat and carbs at every meal. Start your breakfast with a light protein meal well balanced with fruits instead of toast.

6/ Selecting lean meat as the best source of healthy fats is always preferable. Recommendations are to eat proteins first and then carbs. The reason behind this is that proteins will satisfy your hunger and will make you to eat less from the selected foods.  

7/  Eating 3 meals daily is completely enough for people in advanced age while children can be offered snacks as nuts, seeds, protein bars, or fruits.  

8/ Aim for variety and abundance of different foods. Change your dish and use your leftovers the next day.

9/ Take your essential supplements on a daily basis. They will nourish you and will offer a complementary energy support by boosting your mitochondria to participate actively in every separate biochemical reaction in your body. Do not forget to take your 3 omega formula or fish oil together with your food.

10/ Avoid eating foods that are overly processed and prepackaged, that come in a box, a can or package is an absolute must.

11/ Aim for real whole, organic, homegrown, domestically cooked fresh, unprocessed, and chemical- hormone- corticosteroid and antibiotic-free food.

12/ Avoid hydrogenated or partially- hydrogenated foods, high-fructose corn syrup, MSG, NutraSweet, aspartame, sucrose and sucralose.

13/ Detoxify your body frequently and remember to avoid unfriendly foreign molecules (difficult to pronounce on the labels). The body has a hard time recognizing them as friendly substances.